Tag Archive for: Shoulder Arthroscopy Recovery

For those individuals that need to have shoulder arthroscopy, the treatment options can provide very good results. Yet, many people worry what this procedure will mean to their ability to go about daily life and if they will be in pain during it. Once you learn a bit more about arthroscopy of the shoulder, you’ll find that the process can offer a good result to you, making it well worthwhile to have. In short, this is a procedure you will need to inspect, diagnose, and in some cases repair a problem that’s occurring within a joint.

Shoulder Arthroscopy: What Happens During It

Prior to the arthroscopy of the shoulder, you will talk to your doctors, get any needed x-rays to help doctors to plan for the procedure, and discuss any general health risks you have. Additionally, you’ll meet with an anesthesia team to ensure you understand what is going to happen. In many cases, just a regional nerve block is used rather than any general anesthesia. In most cases, you will not remember anything from the procedure because you will be asleep. Sometimes, though, this is not the case. The procedure itself generally takes less than an hour, unless a problem is found and repair takes longer than this.

The surgeon will inject fluid into the joint to inflate it, which also allows for the use of a small camera that will move through the area finding the problems. The images allow the doctor to see what the problem is and repair it if possible.

Shoulder Arthroscopy Recovery

After the procedure is over, you will likely remain in a recovery room for one to two hours to ensure that there are no side effects from the anesthesia. You will likely be able to go home after that. This type of procedure requires a shorter recovery than open surgery, but it will still take several weeks for your shoulder to completely recovery. You may have some pain and stiffness, but this tends to improve within a few days to a week. You may need physical therapy to help you to regain range of motion.

Overall, shoulder arthroscopy is a fast, effective way to handle many of the complications of shoulder pain. Arthroscopy of the shoulder is also considered a safe procedure with few risks. Moreover, with shoulder arthroscopy recovery being mild compared to open procedures, it tends to be the preferred method by doctors in many cases.